Azure had heard of Magnus' encounter with the bear, how the warrior had fought for his brother's life and lost part of himself in the process. His Aunt Io was able to drag Magnus back from the brink of death, but she wouldn't be able to bring back the ears the bear had stolen from him. This all came so quickly after his talk with the man where he fought to explain why he would make a better alpha then Mortis, where he vowed to the man that he'd get revenge for any of his members who'd been harmed. Unfortunately for Azure his father and grandmother were the two to end the beast's life, and he doubted that even if he was in the right place at the right time that he'd have been allowed to assist. The revenge had been gotten already, and Azure hated the fact that he couldn't be apart of it as he swore he would be. The bear had attacked near the border and crossed into the Empire's territory soon after where it was tracked and killed. That was as far as Azure knew, so it was where he had to start. Perhaps he could find the body, rip off it's ears and present them to the man as a token of.. something. He'd figure that out when he found it. The boy did not know how badly his father had mangled the thing, nor whether or not the pelt had already been claimed by one of it's killers. It would explain why no matter how hard he looked, why there was no body to be found. Next he used the skills he had in hunting and tracking to find the stale blood trail and from there followed the scent backwards from where it had approached. It took some time, but the trail eventually led to a den. Brave bold Azure only cowered for a moment at it's mouth before forcing himself inside, and where he expected to see the ghost of the killer bear he instead saw a small cub. It was starving by the looks of it, abandoned even before the bear had attacked. He'd heard the thing might have been sick, which would have explained not only the attack but why it would leave it's baby alone in the den defenseless. He made quick work of it, being careful not to damage any part of what could become a hide but tearing off the tops of it's ears for good measure. It was symbolic, Azure thought. The bear had taken his packmate's ears and so Azure would take it's child's life and it's ears too. An eye for an eye and then some, it sounded fair to him. The prince drug the corpse home towards where he knew the injured wolf was resting. It'd take time for Magnus to heal but he'd hoped that the gift would prove to the man that he was true to his word. Az could try and tell himself it was merely a vote he was counting on though in truth it was more then that. Something had harmed a member of the Armada, and whether or not the boy would admit it he hated knowing someone had suffered and he couldn't protect them. Too young, too small. One day it would be different and it could be him slaughtering enemies instead of his father. "Magnus?" He called out as he let himself in, resisting the urge to call the man 'maggie' as he once had. This was a formal visit, between the one-day-alpha and his subject. He could keep his attitude boxed up for such an important occasion. The dead cub he drug across the floor, plopping it down heavily in front of the warrior. He said nothing more, and waited for Magnus' reply. "Speech" "Thinking" "You."

Magnus had left the warmth and comfort of the palace to stretch and found himself tired and eager to rest for a bit within his own den. As long as he remained within Ashen and the Armadas territories, he otherwise ignored the demands to stay in the palace as much as he could. He could tlay still for long, and despite his cracked ribs, tattered ears, and otherwise sore body, he needed to do something. Although his patrols and other duties had been put on hold, he felt otherwise useless and it bugged the hell out of him.

He'd been quick to take a moment away when he could, but he'd traveled much farther than he should have and found a comfort place to rest within his den. He hadn't been settled long however when a familiar voice approached mixed with the ever familiar scent of bear and blood. His eyes shot open in fear, noticing only the dark silhouette of the fatalis child and the scent of the bear. Overriding his mind, he growled briefly at the bear shaped pup before the cub was dropped before him and brought him back to his senses.

His breathing slowed and evened out, causing him to wince in pain as the pain from his rapid breaths caught up with him. "Azure, I'm sorry." He sighed, apologizing for growling at the boy when he'd meant no harm. The scent of the bear and the boys similar shape had frightened him, but he felt little worry now. Nosing the deceased cub, he frowned, but thought he understood the child's sentiment in bringing it to him. The cub would have died anyway if it was in fact the cub of the grizzly, so perhaps Azure had done it a favor and that he was thankful for.

The man's reaction was not one Azure expected and as Magnus let out a growl he shuffled backwards a few steps, uncertain. He lifted an oversized mutated paw and studied it, frowning as he set it back upon the den's floor. His tattered ears fell back against his skull and his shoulder's slumped. Magnus had told him that if he didn't change that one day his pack may fear him. While Azure knew he didn't want that reaction from them, he knew it more when he saw the man's momentary fright. Only it wasn't his demeanor that was offensive as he'd thought it would be, it was his silhouette. His mutations. His resemblance to the bear that took Magnus' ears. "I'm sorry." He replied. "I'd offer to put them away but I can't." The boy grimaced and flexed his paws, his curved claws digging furrows into the dirt. If he'd had hands they'd have been balled into fists. Az pulled his gaze off Magnus' face, sighing quietly. "How are you?" It was a lame question, but it was the only thing the boy could come up with to break the silence. "Speech" "Thinking" "You."

He hadn't meant to startle Azure, but as the kid shuffled back and studied his own massive paws, Magnus frowned. He was stupid to think another bear would find it's way into the borders, let alone his den, but that didn't stop his dreams from haunting him and his mind from playing tricks on him. His frown remained as Azure offered an apology, but Magnus cut him off by shaking his head before speaking. "It's not your fault. The medicine..." his voice trailed off, attempting to let the boy think that it was the medicine that was causing his eyes to see things that weren't there. "Tired, but I'm okay..." He offered a smile as he laid his head down on the cub carcass and tried to ignore it's scent. "...and you? Thank you for this, by the way." It was an odd gift, but he understood the sentiment. He'd have to get someone to skin it for him, and maybe make something out of it before it went bad, maybe some bracers like everyone else seemed to be wearing.

Magnus tried to reassure him and though Az nodded in acknowledgement of his words, he was still unconvinced. The dire pup lay himself down upon the ground, folding his paws inwards to hide their long curved bear claws as he did so. "You saved my brother, Magnus. My family owes you a great debt." His brows scrunched, concern upon his face. What would have happened to Indy if Magnus wasn't there? Azure doubted he'd have survived it. "If there's anything I can do..." His words trailed off into another sigh, knowing there was nothing that he could offer to take away Magnus' pain nor return the flesh from his ears. "It's not much." Black nose motioned weakly towards the dead cub. "But if there's an afterlife beyond this one, I want her to suffer for what she did to you." "Speech" "Thinking" "You."

He smiled weakly at the comment, believing he was owed nothing for what he'd done. Sure, Indigo was in grave danger of the bear but anyone would have done the same, or at least they should have. If anything, someone probably needed to warn Indigo of his bright pelt when outside of the borders so to not draw unnecessary attention to himself, but that would be a discussion he would have later. "My life was saved, that's enough of a reward." He'd only done his job as a warrior and member of Ashen and the Armada, and he was thankful he was there when it happened even if it did leave lasting mental and physical scarring.

The boy was right in thinking there wasn't much he could do, but Magnus appreciated the offer of the cub. Although the boy had really done the mother grizzly a favor in killing the cub before starvation would, he wouldn't mention it. "It will have a good use, as bracers or something for when I'm strong again." He needed something to do while he was denridden anyway, maybe he could learn a thing or two about crafting armor.

Azure's head shook, though the motion was small. It was not enough and there was nothing to convince the boy that the debt had been repaid. His brother's life was worth more then anything to him, surely more then simply one life saved in return. His lips pressed into a tight thin line but he did not argue, understanding that the man was suffering and tired. "I hope so." Azure said only in reply, his torn ears pulling back against his skull. He wanted to offer more apologies but knew it'd do no good. He wanted to offer the man riches and status, though it would not be for many years that he'd be in the position to give it. What would the alpha Azure wanted to be do, when his warrior was bedridden as Magnus was? The prince didn't know. "Did Aunt Io and Deathbelle give you an estimate of when you'll be healed?" He asked softly. "Speech" "Thinking" "You."